STUDIO 5•5 creates red spire sculpture at cAEn port
A contemporary spire rises in Caen, France, as multidisciplinary design Studio 5•5 creates a bold red signal to celebrate the city’s millennium and the future of its transforming port and peninsula. The public installation, titled the 101st spire of Caen, was created by Vincent Baranger and Caen native Anthony Lebossé at the invitation of artistic director Mathias Courtet. Conceived as a permanent sculpture, the monument pays tribute to the city’s architectural heritage — a skyline shaped by the spires of its historic abbeys and churches. By playing on the fable of the hundred spires, it inserts itself into this rich history while extending the city’s story, serving as a symbolic anchor for the port and peninsula.
Studio 5•5 risis 101st spire to celebrate Caen’s millenium | all images courtesy of Studio 5•5
a filled void in caen’s architectural heritage
The expression ‘city of a hundred spires’ is more of a poetic observation than a precise count, a phrase echoed in local chants and songs. While the city’s core was rich with these vertical landmarks, the newly developed port and peninsula distinctly lacked one. This was recognized by Studio 5•5’s design team, addressing this void with the 101st spire. The project is a testament to local collaboration, with Terreal serving as both a manufacturing partner and a key sponsor, bringing together the industrial expertise of the factory and the traditional skills of the Poterie de Bavent, which handcrafted the signature finish.
the sculpture stands at the Port of Caen, embracing the city’s architectural heritage
101st spire transforms the port into a central public square
Standing at the prow of the peninsula, the red spire is a dramatic maritime landmark. Its unique, intense red color, developed by Terreal from local clay, is reminiscent of a lighthouse or a starboard marker, reinforcing the canal as a crucial maritime gateway and transforming the port into a central public square. This micro-architecture serves as a geographic and symbolic bridge, connecting the historic city center to the emerging urban landscape, and is embraced by the people of Caen as a setting for both small and large gatherings. At night, it becomes a glowing red beacon, pulsing with a gentle rhythm — a heartbeat for the city and its people. The collaborative project was rooted in a local ecosystem of more than forty people, including the training company Metal Academy, the Citeos company, and the City’s departments.
its unique, intense red color was developed by Terreal from local clay
it serves as a geographic and symbolic bridge, connecting the historic city center to the emerging urban landscape